Gaseous fuel control system



Jan. 19, 1932. E PAS 1,842,331

GASEOUS FUEL CONTROL SYSTEM 0riginal.Filed Jan. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Jan. 19, 1932. EJJ. TE PA'S GASEOUS FUEL CONTROL SYSTEM 2 Shets-Sheet2 Original Filed Jan. 12, 92'

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N a vu m .wmh Q om I W mm i w. 1 h? m 3 a .Ew u 5 I M av 9w HIS 3 M N. 1NM mm ll; 1| 3 3 -23 Hm H w 3 R.\ on H I Qw m n Q w Patented Jan. 19,1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDMUND J.'1'E ms, or mxnwdodofiir),assreuoa TO THE mraor. VALVE comramr, or cmvaumn, oniog a conronarrou or01110 GLSEOUS FUEL CONTROL SYSTEM Original application filed January 12,1927, Serial No 1928. Serial fuel control system for gas burningappliances and in particular for fuel controlsystem forgas fired waterheaters and is a division of copending patent application Serial No.160,746 filed January 12, 1927, by Edmund J. Te Pas and Loran F. Doen asjoint inventors.

The object of this invention is to provide a. fuel control for gasburning appliances, that safely and automatically controls the flow ofgas to the burner, ly controlled independently of its automatic;operating mechanism and that prevents the admission of gas to the mainheating burner or burners upon extinguishment of the pilot light.

The invention is hereinafter fully described and is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a storage automatic water heater withmy improved controls.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation in section of the thermally actuated valve.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the valve body shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an elevation in section of the constantly burning ignitionilot burner.

Fig. 5 is an elevation o the distant control for the thermally actuatedvalve.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 5. The storageautomatic heater illustrated in Fig. 1 consists of a water storage tankthe outer covering of which is referred to by the numeral 1. The tank isprovided with a cold water inlet connection 2, and a hot water outletconnection 2. The water of the storage tank is heated by means of a gasburner and water circulating elements of the conventional type housed ina heater casing 3 and connected to the storage tank by the couplings 4and 5. The union connection 6 is provided F for connection to a sourceof gas supply. Im-

mediately below the union 6 and above a manually operable shutoff valve8, there is located a needle valve 7 which is adapted to control theflow of gas to a constantly burning ignition pilot burner 90. Theignition pilot burnthat can be manual-' 160,746. Divided and thisapplication filed April 21,

er is located adjacent to and serves as an ignition means for the mainheating burner 85, which is positioned at the bottom of the heatercasing 3. The valve 7 is connected to the pilot burner 90 by the conduit80. A thermostatic valve 9 which is in contact with and controlled bythe temperature of the water in the storage tank controls the flow ofgas to a flame or thermally actuated valve 11 and is connected theretoby way of conduit 10. Gas from the thermally actuated valve is conductedto the mixing tube 12 and thence b0 the heating burner 85 located in thebottom of the heater casing 3. Manual control of the thermally actuatedvalve 11 is effected by raising or lowering lever 64 of the valve 11,

by means of the handle 16 carried by the arm of a bell crank journaledat in the box 15. The action of the lever 64 and associated mechanismwill be described in detail presently.

The valves 7, 8 and 9, as well as the heating burner and watercirculating elements, are of conventional and well known design. Thevalve 11 to which this application is specifically drawn is animprovement of the thermally actuated valve shown in the patentapplication of Wallace J. Snow, filed July 19, 1926, Serial No. 123,561.

The thermally actuated valve 11 is shown in detail in the enlargedsectional view Fig. 2. This valve consists of a valve casing 17 providedwith an inlet passage and a main outlet passage 18 and 19 respectivelyand has a valve seat 20 formed integrally therein. The open end of acentrally bored sleeve valve 22 is provided with a valve seat 21 whichis in axial alignment with the valve seat 20. This sleeve valveconstitutes an auxiliary outlet passage from the valve casing 17. Adisc-shaped valve head 28 faced on each side with a'yielding material24, such as leather, is positioned between the valve seats 20 and 21 andcoacts with them to control the flow of fluid between the inlet passageand the outlet passage in communication with the said valve seats. Thevalve head 23 is mounted on a valve stem 25 by means of a ball andsocket joint 26 which allows the valve head 23 to adjust itself to itscasing 3.

An auxiliary burner 29 is provided to heat a bimetallic thermallyresponsive element which is located above said burner in the housing 27and has one end secured thereto by a bolt 30. This thermal element is ofthe usual laminated construction and is made in the present instance ofa strip of metal 31 having a high coefficient of expansion such as Monelmetal or brass and a strip'of metal 32 having a low coefficient ofexpansion such as invar or 36% nickel steel, suitably joined together.By reason of the diflerential expansion of the two different metals ofwhich the strip is made power is furnished to operate the valvemechanism by the deformation of the thermostatic strip by the heat fromthe burner 29. The free end of the thermal element is pivotallyconnected at 33 to an adjustable link 34 which is in turn pivotallyconnected at 35 to an oscillating lever 36. A resilient lever comprisingthe two elements 37 and a spring 38 bears at its extremities against theknife edge of the adjustable pin 39 and a knife edge of the oscillatinglever 36 and tends to urge this lever to the ends of the arc of itstravel. The adjustable pin 39 is carried by the internally bored setscrew 40. This set screw 40 is threada-bly received in the housing 27and provides a means of adjustment for the pin 39. An internallythreaded cap 41 provides a locking means for the screw 40.

The oscillating lever 36 has a cutout portion through which the valvestem 25 projects. This lever is provided between its ends with contactedges 42 to engage with the annular flanges '43 and 44 of the internallythreaded sleeve 45, which is locked in position on the valve stem 25 bymeans of a lock nut 46. A packing diaphragm 47 is clamped against ashoulder formed on the valve stem 25' by the sleeve and lock nut 48 and49 respectively. The sleeve 48 is journaled in the threaded plug 50which serves to hold the outer edge of the diaphragm 47 in fluid tightengagement with the bored out portion 51 of the valve casing 17. Bysecuring the diaphragm 47 in the manner described it provides a gastight and nonbinding packing for the valve stem 25. A spring 52 carriedin the sleeve valve 22, abuts at one end against the valve head 23 andserves to urge the sleeve valve and valve head away from each other. Thesleeve valve is journaled at one end in the element 53 which is adaptedto be screwedinto the valve casing 17; A reduced portion 57 of thesleeve valve is journaled in the element 54 which is secured to theelement 52 by nut 55. The sleeve valve 22 is'provided with a centralbore which communicates with the outlets 56 which inturn serve toestablish communication between the open end of the sleeve Valve and theconduit 61. The conduit 61 is connected to a burner supporting block 62secured to the housing 27 by a bolt 65. The metal heating burner 29 iscarried by the block 62 and is in communication with the feed line 61.

A needle valve comprising a valve casing 76 and an adjusting needle 77is connected at its inlet end to the member 54 and at its outlet end tothe conduit 61. The purpose of this valve is to control the height ofthe flame of the burner 29 when gas is admitted to this burner byway ofthe sleeve valve 22, valve casing 76 and conduit 61.

A packing diaphragm 60 is secured to the sleeve valve 22 by means of nut59. The diaphragm 60 is clamped at its outer edge between the elements54 and 53 and serves to prevent the leakage of gas from the valve casing17 to the conduit 61 when the sleeve valve port is closed. Leakage ofgas past the reduced portion 57 of the valve stem is prevented by meansof a washer 58 and shoulder 58 formed on the sleeve valve. In the openposition of the sleeve valve the shoulder 58 contacts with the washer 58which is made of a yielding material, such crank 69 which is pivoted at70 in the box 15. A handle 16 is secured to the other arm of the bellcrank 69. This latter arm is provided with a projection 71 which isadapted to engage with either end of the raised portions of the plate 72so that the handle 16 is securely held in either one of its extremepositions. A weight 14 is secured to the lever 64 and chain 13 by meansof a rod 67. A box 15 for the bell crank 69 comprises a cover 74 and abase plate 73, the latter being adapted to be secured to any suitablesupport such as 75. The object of the weight 14 and levers 64 and 69 isto provide a distant control means for actuating the sleeve valve 22,the function of which will be described presently. i

A-constantly burning pilot 90 in communication with the conduit 80 andunder control of the needle valve 7 is positioned in the burner 85 andthe casing aperture 91, the

other side of whicih is located the small burner 29. This pilot servesthe dual purpose of igniting the main heating burner 85 as well as theauxiliary burner 29. The pilot 90 is socured to the heater casing bymeans of an L fitting 86 and a nut 87. The constantlly burning p1lotburner is adapted to be screwed into the pipe 88 and consists of a plug81 provided with a central bore 82 terminating in four downwardlyinclined lateral ports or orifices 89. The plug 81 is provided with aconical cap 84 positioned above'and extending beyond the upper end ofthe sleeve 83. The sleeve 83 which is carried by the plug 81 is providedwith four holes 90'. These holes 90' in the sleeve are so positionedwith respect to the four holes 89 of the plug that part of the gasstream issuing from each of the holes 89 will strike against the edge ofthe holes 90. The eifect of this is that a portion of the gas passes outof the holes 90 and the rest of it issues from the upper open end of thesleeve 83. By reason of this construction a pilot light is provided inwhich there 25 are four flames issuing from a like number of holesspaced around the burner and a single circular flame which issues frombetween the cap 84 and sleeve 83. This arrangement provides a pilotburner which is not easily extinguished by a strong draft, variations ingas pressure, burnen explosions and other accidental causes of pilotextinguishment.

The operation of the device'is as follows: With the water in the storagetank cold, if it is desired to put the heater into operation, theconstantly burning pilot light 90 is first ignited. The height of itsflame is adjusted to the proper size by means of the needle valve 7. Themanually operable valve 8 is now opened admitting gas to thethermostatic valve 9. This valve 9 is in the open position when thewater in the tank is cold so that the gas passes through it to conduit10 and then to the thermally actuated valve 11. 45 thermally actuatedvalve 11 under these conditions normally occupies the position shown inFig. 2 and gas admitted to it when in this position passes to the burner29 by way of the central passage of the open sleeve valve 5 22 and theconduit 61. The gas supplied to the burner 29 is ignited by theconstantly burning pilot 90.

The flame from the burner 29 now serves to heat the thermal elementwhich is posi tioned directly above this burner. As the thermal elementwhich is a composite strip of two metals 31 and 32 becomes heated, .itshifts to the left of the position shown in Fig. 2 by reason of the side31 of the strip having a higher coeificient of expansion than the side32. This movement is communicated to the adjustable link 34 andoscillating lever. 36 and the resilient lever defined by the elements 37and 38, Upon passing their dead center position, or the position whereThe.

the two levers are in line, the spring 38 shifts the lever 36 to theextreme left hand position carrying with it the valve stem 25 and itsvalve head 23. This action serves to open the valve defined by the valveseat 20 and valve head 23 allowing gas to pass from the inlet 18 to theoutlet 19 which is connected to the main heating burner by way of themixing tube 12. The gas which is now admitted to the main burner isignited by the constantly burning pilot and serves to heat the water ofthe system.

The valve head 23 in the act of opening communication between the sourceof gas supply and the main heating burner seated itself on the valveseat 21 of the sleeve 22 cutting olf the supply of gas to the burner 29.The above operation of cutting ofl the gas supply to the burner 29allows the thermostatic element of the valve to cool and start to returnto its original position. After a slight movement of the thermostaticelement the valve head 23, which is caused to follow the movement of thethermostatic element by the spring 52, moves from its seat 21 and gas isagain admitted to the burner 29. It will be seen that the valve head 23and valve seat 21 together with the valve actuate ing mechanism providea graduating valve for the burner 29 measuring the 'proper amount of gasto this burner to maintain. the thermally actuated valve in its openposition and at the same time preventing the thermostatic element frombecoming overheated.

When the water in the storage tank has reached a predeterminedtemperature, the thermostatic valve 9 closes, shutting off the supply ofgas to the thermally actuated valve and the main heating burner. Thisaction also extinguishes the flame of the burner 29 allowing thethermostatic element controlled thereby to cool and shift to the rightclosing the valve defined by the valve seat 20 in valve head 23 so'thatbefore gas can again be admitted to the main burner it will be necessaryfor the thermostatic valve 9 to open and the valve 11 to repeat thecycle just described.

Where it is desired to control the operation of the heater from adistant point the bell crank handle 16 is shifted to either one of itslimiting positions to place the heater into or out of operation.instance serves to clamp the valve head 23 between the valve seats 20and 21 for the closed or right hand position of the handle 16, cuttingoff the supply of gas to the main heating burner and the valve actuatingburner 29. In the open valve position of the handle 16 the sleeve valve22 is in the position shown in Fig. 2 allowing gas under control of thevalve 9 to be passed to the burner 29 to open the thermally actuatedvalve 11in the manner previously described.

' By using the thermally actuated valve 11 This action in one heaterswhich do not have a thermostatic valve that is responsive to thetemperature of the water in the tank. In this case the inlet connection18 of the thermally actuated valve is connected directly to a source ofgas supply and by raising the weight 14 and associated levers 64 and thesleeve valve is shifted to the left by the spring 52 admitting gas tothe burner 29. This gas is ignited by the constantly burning pilot 90and serves to open the flame actuated valve and admit gas to the mainburner. When it is desired to shut off the gas the lever 64 is loweredby means of the distant control handle 16 and weights 14 and the sleevevalve 22 seats against and engages the valve head 23. This latteroperation causes the valve head 23 to shift and cover the valve seat 20cutting off the supply of gas to the main burner.

In this manner the gas supply to the auxiliary burner 90 and the mainburner may be positively cut off by simply shifting the sleeve valve 22against the valve head 23. The opening operation of the valvecontrolling the gas supply to the main burner 85 normally can only beeffected through the heating effect of the burner 29 which is dependentin its operation upon the presence of a flame at the ignition burner 90.In the absence of a flame at the pilot the device is inoperative, thuspreventing the admission of gas to the burner 85 and obviatin thehazardous condition that might arise i gas were supplied to the mainburner with no means for its ignition.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the particular forms ofapparatus shown and described, and the particular procedure. set forth,are presented for purposes of explanation and illustration and thatvarious modifications of said apparatus and procedure'can be madewithout departing from my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having described my invention, What I claim is:

1, In a three way valve, a valve casing having one inlet andtwo outletpassages, valve seats for the outlet passages housed in the casing oneof which is movable toward the other, a valve head, thermally responsivemeans to actuate the valve head, said valve head cooperating withv saidvalve seats to provide a closure for either one or both of said outletpassages.

2' In a three way valve, a valve casing having an inlet and a main andan auxiliary. outlet passage, a valve seat formed in said casing for themain outlet passage, an axially movable valve seat for the auxiliaryoutlet passage, a valve head cooperating with said valve seats tocontrol fluid flow between the inletand the outlet passages,thermostatic means to actuate the valve head, and means to move thevalve seat of the auxiliary outlet passage to clamp said valve headbet-ween said valve seats, cutting off communication be tween the inletand both of the voutlet passages.

3. In a three way valve, a valve casing having an inlet and a main andan auxiliary outlet passage, a valve seat formed in said casin for themain outlet passage, an axially mova le valve seat for the auxiliaryoutlet passage, a valve head cooperating with said valveseats to controlfiuid flow between the inlet and the outlet passages, thermostatic meansto actuate the valve head and mechanically operable means to move thevalve seat of the auxiliary outlet passage to clamp said valve headbetween said valve seats, cutting off communication between the inletand both of the outlet passages.

4. In a three way valve, a valve casing having an inlet and a main andan auxilia outlet passage, a valve seat formed in sai casin for the'mainoutlet passage, an axially mova le valve seat for the auxiliary outletpassage, a valve head cooperating with said valve seats to control fluidflow between the inlet and the outlet passages, thermostatic means. toactuate the valve head to control at the same time fluid flow betweenthe inlet passage and both of the outlet passages.

5. In a three way valve, a valve casing, valve seat formed in saidcasing, a sleeve, valve reciprocable in said casing having a centralbored out ortion one end of which terminates in a va ve seat and theother end of which is in communication with outlet passages formed insaid sleeve valve, packing means on said sleeve valve between the valveseat formed thereon and its outlet passages, a guide andsupportingmember for the sleeve valve, a reducedend portion formed on the sleevevalve journaled in and extending through said guide and supportingmember, packing means for the reduced portion of the sleeve valve,manually operable means to move the sleeve valve, a valve headpositioned between the valve seats and thermostatic means to actuate thevalvehead providing a valve that may be closed independently of thevalve head actuating means by moving the seat of the sleeve valveagainst the valve head locking the valve head between its seats andclosing the passages between the inlet and outlets of the valve.

6. A distant control for gas burning appliances, comprising a gasburning appliance, remote control means located at a distance from saidappliance, a main burner for supplying heat to said appliance, a pilotburner to ignite the gas supplied to said main burner, a thermallyactuated valve for controlling the gas supply of said main burner, aheat responsive device to actuate said valve, an auxiliary burnerpositioned in igniting relation with respect to the flame of said pilotburner for supplying heat to said device and being under control of saidremote 1 control means to effect the opening of said valve, resilientmeans normally urging said valve to closed position, mechanical meansconnected with said remote control means to positively close said valveindependently of the operation of said heat responsive device. Intestimony whereof I affix my signature.

EDMUND J. TE PAS.

